Gemotions

The silence of the elevator ride amplified the pounding in Clara's ears. She pressed the button for the parking garage, the metal cold against her finger. The office had felt like a cage all day, a place where people interacted superficially, where true connection felt impossible. David's constant chatter, his casual confidence, grated on her nerves.

Back in her car, she slumped against the steering wheel, the leather cool against her cheek. She wished she had someone to share the news with, whether good or bad. The thought of returning to her empty apartment, with no one waiting, made her feel physically ill.

A tear traced a lonely path down her cheek. The radio buzzed with music, but it felt like a distant, irrelevant soundtrack to her quiet desperation.